


Strangelove

by orangegoist



Category: Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Genre: Canon Rewrite, Crush at First Sight, F/M, Falling In Love, Love at First Sight, Mutual Pining, Non-Canon Relationship, Rewrite, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:07:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29111277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orangegoist/pseuds/orangegoist
Summary: A rewrite of the Reservoir Dogs (1992). The short love story between Ms. Silver and Mr. Orange.
Relationships: Mr. Orange (Reservoir Dogs)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 31
Kudos: 12





	1. I Feel You

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [In Too Deep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27311035) by [spivetwrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spivetwrites/pseuds/spivetwrites). 



Radio: “I feel you  
Your sun it shines  
I feel you  
Within my mind  
You take me there  
You take me where  
The kingdom comes”

I turned off the radio and parked my car near the warehouse, where the meeting with Joe was going to happen. I checked myself in the rearview mirror, put on my sunglasses, and got out of the car. As soon as I closed the car door – I heard the engines of the arriving car: Eddie arrived together with 3 men who I haven’t seen before.

“Hey, girlfriend, how’re you doing?”, Eddie asked me, exiting the car. His passengers were standing right beside his car.

“Ready to work”, I answered, straightening my leather coat. Eddie came closer to me so none of strangers would hear us.

“Looks like we have twins in here”, Eddie smiled, nodding towards the brown-haired short man, who was wearing black leather jacket with white shirt under it.

I looked at my coat and white T-shirt, sighed and asked:

“Is here someone who I know except you and Joe?”

“No questions, Daria”, whispered Eddie, “You’ll see. But remember – no names.”

I nodded and followed Eddie and 3 other men into the warehouse. Joe was already there, together with three other men and in one of them I recognized my old friend and a partner in crime: Vic Vega whom I haven’t seen for a long time.

“You, bastard! Haven’t heard from you for ages!”, I called him out

“Glad to see you again, girlfriend”, smiled Vic, giving me a hug, “How was Russia?”, he asked

I just shrugged.

“Cold and unfriendly even for me. I’m glad you’re alright and we’re in business again.”, I smiled

“That’s my Russian partner that I missed”, laughed Vic, slapping my shoulder

“Enough of these reunions.”, Joe called us out. “We need to get business done. Have a seat”

Everyone started to sit down on the empty chairs. It turned out there was only one chair left right beside my “twin” in leather jacket. This annoyed me a little bit, but at the same time this man caught my attention as he gave me a quick glance when I set on the chair, taking my sunglasses off.

Cabot started to give us instructions. That’s the time I missed. All these business crimes and deals I made for Joe for years helped me to get through life. I loved it. It got me busy even though it was risky and I made some mistakes that led me to prison in Moscow for three years. I was a serial killer and a very good thief and Russian secret service, these feds from my own country seemed not to like me very much. Thankfully they’re on a wild goose chase in Siberia and I’m finally in L.A.

I felt long glances from my neighbor in the leather jacket directed on me. It bothered me, but attracted at the same time, so I turned to him and caught his eyes. His gray-green beautiful eyes. He smiled a little or did I just imagine it? I turned my head back to Joe:

“Under no circumstances do I want any of you to relate to each other by your Christian names.”, he said, pointing at all of us.

I looked at Vic, who was sitting in front of me. Thankfully I know only him, together with Nice Guy Eddie and Joe. Vic had been my very good friend, and we worked together for Joe for some time and hanged out a little bit after business.

With the corner of my eye, I noticed that my neighbor looked at me, then at Vic and then in Joe's direction.

“All I want you guys to talk about, if you have to, is what you're gonna do.”, Joe continued. “Alright, here’re your names: Mr Brown, Mr Blue, Mr White, Ms Silver, Mr Blonde, Mr Orange, Mr Pink.”

So now my “black leather jacket” twin is Mr Orange when I’m Ms Silver. It sounded fine to me, when I heard Mr Pink started arguing about his nickname. This didn’t bother me. All I wanted to do is to finally got back to work and had a good conversation with a friend that I missed…Well, and maybe with my green eyed “twin” – Mr Orange.


	2. The Love Thieves

The sun was going down when the meeting finished. Warm and calm wind surrounded me until I reached my car. I heard Eddie’s laugh as Joe was murmuring something that I couldn’t understand as they were going to their car and Mr Blue followed them as his car was standing near theirs.

I took out a pack of cigarettes, flicked the lighter and leaned my back on the car, taking a puff.

Mr Brown was talking to Mr White and Mr Pink when Mr Orange stood nearby, not participating in the dialogue.  
Vic walked up to my car while I was smoking a cigarette.

“Not joining in the dialogue?”, he smiled, lightning up his cigarette and leaning against the car.

“I’ll join when I’ll want to”, I answered exhaling the smoke.

“Just like your leather jacket twin over there”, Vic pointed at Mr Orange, who was still standing beside three men talking about something that I couldn’t hear, because I parked my car far from the warehouse.

I just rolled my eyes.

“Jesus, Vic, stop referring to it. It’s not even funny anymore. Besides, this little man has a name now.”

“I like it when you get angry”, my friend laughed, “I missed my little partner in crime”

“Thank you for not calling me a dwarf”, I chuckled.

Between me and Vic my nickname is “Little One”, because of my short height and we love to laugh about it even though I like that I’m small, but when I was at school almost all of my classmates laughed about that. Idiots.

“Ready to rob some place again?”, Vic asked me, exhaling smoke from his cigarette.

“As well as trying not to get into a jail because of the feds”, I smiled lightly, recalling the last unsuccessful robbery of the bank in Saint Petersburg.

“Hey, it was only once.”, my friend put his arm around my shoulder, “We both made mistakes and we both know what it’s like to be somewhere far away from home and sunshine. Just forget about it”

I smiled sadly. Even now, when I’m free, I’m still recalling this robbery. One unsuccessful deal that I made. Just one.  
I looked at Vic, my only friend and my good partner in crime, and smiled.

“Thanks, dude”

“No problem, Little One”, he smiled back.

“Hey, Mr Blonde, Ms Silver”, Mr Brown called our names, coming closer to my car. Mr White, Mr Pink and Mr Orange followed him.

“Me, Mr Pink, Mr White and Mr Orange are going to the “Smokey Pete's in Gardena.” Want to join?”

When Mr Brown was asking us to join their company, Mr Orange’s eyes were coming from looking at me, then to Vic and then back to me.

“Sounds like fun to me”, Vic smiled, extinguishing a cigarette, “I’m in”

I looked at Vic and then straight at Mr Orange, standing up right in front of him.

“I’m in too.”

“Alright, so, we’ll meet you there”, smiled Mr White, exiting to his car. Mr Orange followed him.

“Looks like we all gonna have a pleasant evening”, laughed Vic.

I watched Mr Orange sit on the passenger’s seat of Mr White’s car. Mr Brown turned the music so loud that I could hear it even the car windows were closed:

Radio: “Love needs it's martyrs  
Needs it's sacrifices  
They live for your beauty  
And pay for their vices  
Love will be the death of  
My lonely soul brothers  
But their spirit shall live on in  
The hearts of all lovers”

Then I heard engines and three cars drove out of the parking lot, when me and Vic were still standing in front of our cars.

“Yes, we will”, I answered.


	3. Enjoy the Silence

“By the way, how’s Ms Ginger?”, Vic asked me, putting his beer cup on the table.

Mr Pink and Mr Brown already left our company and only me, Vic, Mr White and Mr Orange were still sitting in the bar, drinking beer, cider in my case, and talking about crime deals. Mr White and Mr Orange were sitting in front of us, when me and Vic sat together.

“Wait, you know Ms Ginger?”, surprised Mr White, pointing at me and Vic.

After this question from Mr White, Mr Orange looked at me, slightly surprised.

I took a sip from my cider’s cup.

“Ms Ginger? I haven’t seen Ginger in over a year and a half.”, I answered to Vic and then turned my head towards Mr White, “I’ve worked with Ms Ginger for a little while. We did four jobs together. Then we decided to call in quits. Ms Ginger is a very good thief and we made successful jobs back then”

“Made jobs? What kind of jobs? You mean, like, stealing or something?”, Mr Orange asked me. The interest could be clearly seen in his gaze.

“It was one of jobs. We stole a Cadillac and then used it as a getaway car from a bank robbery. Then I customized this Cadillac and it’s my car now”, I smiled leaning on a sofa, “By the way, Mr Blonde, when will we trade our cars? I love your Cadillac and I want to own it. You can take mine, if you want to.”, I lightly tapped my friend on the shoulder.

“You wish”, he just laughed

“Well, don’t take my car then. You can sell it for the good price to one of my friends. He loves Cadillacs”

Vic laughed again.

“I can only give you a small ride on it. But I’m not selling it to you, Ms Silver.”

“I only suggested”, I winked.

“I also worked with Ms Ginger.”, Mr White continued the dialogue, exhaling smoke from his cigarette, “And I agree with you, she’s a very good thief. We made a big deal together.” – then he pointed at me, “I’ve heard about you before. Joe told me. You’re the youngest successful killer and a thief. Looks like we’re gonna work together with a very good professional.”, Mr White smiled. Then he extinguished his cigarette in ashtray, “Alright, I gotta go. Have a good evening, we’ll meet later.”

Mr White exited the bar. In a few seconds, Vic stood up:

“I gotta go as well. Need some rest now.”, then he whispered in my ear, “Keep an eye on him”, he slightly pointed at Mr Orange. Then he took his coat and left the bar.

There were only me and Mr Orange. There was an awkward silence that I wanted to break, but I didn’t know how to. Instead, I took a sip from my cider.

“So…are you and Mr Blonde…a thing?”, suddenly Mr Orange asked me a direct question, looking at me.

I put my cup on the table.

“What?”

“Are you and Mr Blonde dating?”, he asked again, this time a little quieter.

I was surprised by this question, but I understood why he asked me this. The truth is, I wanted to ask him if he had someone as well.

But I just smiled.

“Me and Mr Blonde? No, we’re just very good friends.”, I answered, recalling the day when I saw Vic and Eddie holding hands, sitting at the café together a couple of years ago before both Vic and I went to jail. I was hoping that they’re still together, “We made some jobs together and I know Mr Blonde for years. He’s a nice guy. But he’s not in my taste.” – I smiled, looking at Mr Orange. I saw that he was pleased to hear it.

“And who is in your taste?”

“Why should you know?”

“Just curious. Natural interest”, he smiled a little.

“Well, someone else. But he doesn’t know yet”

“And will he know?”

I paused, looking at Mr Orange. I swear I wanted to kiss him so bad, but I was afraid that things were going too intense and I wasn’t even sure if he wanted me to kiss him. But he looked straight into my eyes, his green eyes imprinted in my memory.

“I want him to know. But I think it’s not the right time yet.”, I took a cigarette from the pack. Mr Orange gave me the lighter. I moved closer to it to light up my cigarette and for the first time I saw his face so close to mine. But I moved back exhaling the smoke.

“How old are you?”, he asked me

“Twenty four.”, I answered. Suddenly, I started to think that I’m a little young for him, “How old are you?”

“Thirty one”

“So I’m the youngest in our gang, I suppose”, I grinned, “You don’t look like you’re thirty one, to be honest”

“Older?”

“Younger”, I smiled.

“And why did you start to venture your life at so young age?”, Mr Orange asked me, leaning slightly on our dining table

“I had to. This is all that I can say to you. When the time will be right, maybe I’ll tell you more”, I said to him, extinguished my cigarette in ashtray. Then I put on my leather coat and smiled, pointing at Mr Orange’s leather jacket, “Nice jacket, by the way. Today everyone called us twins”.  
He just laughed. His laugh. I wish I could hear it more.

“Thank you, Ms Silver”

“I’m coming home now. You need a ride to your place?”, I got the car keys from my pocket.

“Yes, please, if it won’t bother you”, he got up from his seat.

“No problem at all.”, I answered, exiting the bar.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Night roads in LA are beautiful. I loved riding through the city from time to time. It helped me to get my thoughts clear.  
Me and Mr Orange didn’t talk much during the whole road even though we both wanted to. I used to talk when necessary. But with him I wanted to talk endlessly, to look at his eyes, to hear his laugh and see his smile. I wanted to. I wanted it so bad. Not to leave him. But at the same time, I was afraid to become close to him. I was afraid to trust. I was afraid to be betrayed. In the end, we were just two criminals who needed just do their job and ran away without getting attached to anyone.

“Here’s my place”, Mr Orange interrupted my thoughts, “Thanks again”

“Hey, no problem. It was a nice road trip.”, I smiled, looking at him.

He paused for a second, smiling back. But then he opened the car door.

“See you later then, Ms Silver”

“Yeah. See you later, Mr Orange”

And he closed the door of my car.

I watched him go until he disappeared through the doors of his house. I slightly shook my head, trying to get rid of all the thoughts in my head that bothered me, turned on the radio and drove myself home at full speed of my car through the night streets of Los Angeles.

Radio: “Words like violence  
Break the silence  
Come crashing in  
Into my little world  
Painful to me  
Pierce right through me  
Can't you understand?  
Oh, my little girl  
All I ever wanted  
All I ever needed  
Is here in my arms  
Words are very unnecessary  
They can only do harm”


	4. Walking in My Shoes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small episodes which were already written in the fanfic, but from Freddy’s point of view. An intro to new chapters, where things will become more and more intense.

**POV: Freddy Newandyke**

Radio: Now I'm not looking for absolution  
Forgiveness for the things I do  
But before you come to any conclusions  
Try walking in my shoes  
Try walking in my shoes

“What is playing on the radio?”, I heard Nice Guy Eddie, who interrupted thoughts in my head, “Are those Queen?”, he asked us.

As Nice Guy told us, we almost arrived at the meeting point. At this stage I was sure that I was playing my role very smooth and clean and none of people that I’ve already met had any fucking idea that I was an undercover cop.

“No, these were Depeche Mode”, I replied

“Are you a music lover?”, the man who was sitting next to me on the backseat asked.

“Well, I know some of their songs. This was something new, I haven’t heard it before. But these were definitely them.”

“I got their latest album on my record-player, I can give you it to listen.”, Larry, who was sitting on a front seat turned to me.

“Cool. Thank you, man”, I replied, then I turned my head on the left and saw a warehouse. A couple of cars were standing on the parking lot near the place. I noticed a young woman exiting the car, wearing a pair of sunglasses and a leather coat.

“We arrived. Come out, gentlemen”, Nice Guy Eddie exited his car, and then I heard him shouting, “Hey, girlfriend, how’re you doing?”

It was that girl, who I saw, when we arrived at the parking lot. Short height, brown hair which was tied in a low ponytail. Even from afar, I noticed that there was a scar on her right cheek. There was something in her that attracted me, but I tried to remind myself that I’m on the job, that she is a criminal and I’m a cop. It didn’t really help. I was slowly but surely falling for her.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“Do you know any of other guys with whom we’ll work?”, I asked Mr White when we were on our way to “Smokey Pete's in Gardena”

“Only from Joe’s words. He told me some basic information about them, their specialties. But this needed to stay just between us. Know what I mean?”, Mr White gave me a glance. I nodded.

“Yeah-yeah. Um…I just wanted to ask about a girl…Ms Silver”

“Ms Silver?”, the man chuckled, “Got an interest in her?”

“Who won’t?”, I tried to sound natural

“It’s true. Well, I’ve heard something about her. She’s a young killer and a thief from Russia. And Joe told me that she went to jail for three years in Moscow after one unsuccessful bank robbery in Saint Petersburg. But that was the only unsuccessful deal that she made. But I haven’t worked with her before. She seems like a good girl, but she definitely has a lot of stuff to hide.”, he finished.

  
“I get it man.”, I answered. I finally had some information about that girl and I could look through Police files. But something inside wanted to check all other criminals with whom I needed to work except for her. I didn’t want her to be in charge in all of this. She was so young and she already went through tough things.

I wanted to protect her.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

We were driving through the night streets of L.A. Ms Silver’s attention was on the road. We didn’t talk much. Something was playing on the radio but I couldn’t recognize it. Thoughts in my head were circling around. Did they find out I was an undercover cop? Did I make a good impression on Silver? Her opinion started to be more important to me even though I met her only a couple of hours ago. I didn’t know her name, but I needed to find it out through Police files. I shouldn’t combine personal feelings with my job. But I couldn’t help it.

When we were sitting alone at “Smokey Pete's in Gardena” when Mr Blonde and Mr White left us, I had a chance to get to know her more. She didn’t give me any details, but I noticed her beautiful grey-green eyes. I wanted to capture them in my memory. I knew that after the heist she’d be caught by the cops. I needed to organize it. But I didn’t want it to happen to her. I wanted to help her to run away. To run away with me. Honestly, I wanted to be with her. I wanted to be with her so bad. But I wasn’t sure if she could let me do it.

“Here’s my place”, I interrupted my own thoughts as I saw that we almost arrived to my destination, “Thanks again”

“Hey, no problem. It was a nice road trip.”, Ms Silver smiled, looking at me.

I smiled back, looking at her. Her smile was beautiful. I wish I could see her smiling more. I felt like the time was frozen for both of us. Honestly, I wanted to kiss her so bad. But I didn’t know if she wanted to let me do this. If she really liked me. How could I know that when we met just a few hours back.

I opened the car door.

“See you later then, Ms Silver”

“Yeah. See you later, Mr Orange”

And I closed the door. I heard loud sound of the engine of her car when she was disappearing in the night streets of L.A.

When I entered my apartment, I laid on my bed. What was I going to do? I shouldn’t combine personal feeling with my job. And Ms Silver was a criminal. But she attracted me like no one before. She was a mystery to me, a case that I needed to solve. And I was planning to do it. I wanted to protect her, I wanted to keep her away from problems. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to be with Ms Silver.


	5. The Things You Said

**POV: Ms Silver**

The phone rings woke me up. I quickly grabbed the telephone receiver, finally destroying the remnants of dream.

“Yeah?”

“Hey, girlfriend,”, I heard Eddie’s voice from the other end of the line, “Did I wake you up?”

“Sort of”, I answered, sitting down on the bed, looking at the clock on the bedside table: it was almost 11 a.m.

“Well, I hope you had some sweet dreams”, the man laughed, “Listen, I’m organizing some sort of a party for you guys at my place. Kind of a bonding thing for all of you. As my dad told me: “So they all could become more in tune with each other”. It’s gonna happen tonight.”

“Sounds nice”, I replied, coming closer to the window: the sun was shining brightly in the sky, people were walking, cars quietly drove along the street. It was a warm Saturday morning.

“Also, I must give you an assignment: stop by Mr Orange and go to grocery shopping together for our bonding party tonight. Mr Orange already knows that you’re coming and I gave him a shopping list”, Eddie continued.

I was slightly surprised about this offer, because, honestly, I had a dream about Mr Orange and I finally started to recall some details from it. Was it a sign? Sounded creepy.

“Got you, Eddie”, I just replied, “See you tonight then.”

  
  
“Yeah, see you later, girlfriend”, and the conversation ended.

I put the phone back on the bedside table. At first, I was a little excited to see Mr Orange again and to hang out with him and Vic outside the work environment. But in a second, this excitement transformed into anxiety: how would I interact with Mr Orange? I barely knew him and I wasn’t good at conversations: I always kept my words inside me except for Vic who I knew for years and with whom we went through a lot of things.

My hands started to shake a little, I haven’t been so anxious in a long period of time. It happened when I just started making crimes. When I got the first contract kill. Eight years ago, when I was sixteen. And I had it again only when I was twenty-four, after I heard that I should bond together with Mr Orange. With a man who caught my attention.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“So, you don’t talk much, do you?”, Mr Orange asked me when we were passing through grocery shelves.

“I talk when necessary”, I answered, trying to act cool

“Then how are we mean to bond later today?”, the man asked me, slightly confused

“It’s my character. I don’t talk much. I trust no one”, I answered, putting a box of strawberries in the cart. Then I realized that I sounded too serious and then I added with a smile, “Also, the less you know the better you sleep”

He laughed. I loved his laugh. I loved how he threw his head back when he laughed. And his smile was so bright.

“Now I realize why I slept so good tonight”, he smiled, “Okay, I’m not gonna bother you with my questions”, Mr Orange said, putting peanut butter and jelly cans in the cart.

“Of course you can if you want to. But let’s make a deal that this information is going to be between you and me”, I laughed, pushing our cart to the cashier.

“Deal, Ms Silver”, the man winked at me, when we were paying for the groceries.

We exited the store and headed directly to Eddie’s place: we were running a little late and the party just started.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

**POV: Freddy Newandyke**

“So, you like Ms Silver?”, Mr White asked me, when we entered the kitchen for another cans of beer. It was late night, but Eddie’s place was still buzzing: Mr Blue left some time ago; Mr Brown and Mr Pink played billiard; Eddie, Mr Blonde and Ms Silver were smoking near the window, talking about something.

“How did you know that?”, I was surprised but at the same time I was relieved to hear this question from him.

“Kid, this is pretty obvious. The way you look at her, trying to “accidentally” touch her hand when she is giving you a cigarette. And I’m deadly sure that she likes you as well”, the man winked, “I think you should say that to her. Who knows what’s gonna happen”.

I looked at him, then I turned my head to Ms Silver who was laughing at some joke that Mr Blonde told her. Her laugh was loud and infectious. I wanted to laugh together with her.

I didn’t care that she was a criminal, I didn’t care at all. I just wanted to be with her.

I looked back at Mr White and then walked right up to Ms Silver, making a small cough to catch her attention.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

**POV: Ms Silver**

“Mr White asked for a little help for him in the kitchen. Can you join me?”, Mr Orange asked me, looking directly into my eyes.

“Um, yeah, sure”, I answered, extinguished my cigarette. I slightly looked at Vic, and then followed Mr Orange to the kitchen.

Mr White wasn’t there. And then I finally realized why did Mr Orange asked me to come with him. I realized but still was unsure about it. Anxiety returned and I looked at Mr Orange, who closed and then locked the door behind us so no one could disturb us.

“You lied to me, bastard”, I grinned, lightly hitting the shoulder of Mr Orange, who came up to me.

He caught my hand and hold it in his hand.

“I know that I’m speeding things up, but I wanted you to know before the heist, when we have a couple of days before it.”, his voice was a little nervous, but the look in his eyes was saying that he was confident. His green eyes were like a curse to me, “You’re a mystery, but I want to know you better. You attracted me. I can’t say nothing less than that. I really like you, Ms Silver. A lot. I don’t know if you like me, I don’t know your feelings towards me, but this is what this is. I really like you and I want to be with you.”

I stood in silence; my heart was beating fast. I swear I heard it. I couldn’t say I word. These were the words that I wanted to hear but I was too scared that this wasn’t true.

I came closer to him. He did the same. I felt his breath, I thought that I even managed to hear the beat of his heart.

“I like you too, Mr Orange”, I whispered.

“Freddy. My name is Freddy”, Mr Orange whispered. I was surprised. He told me his name. His real name. I smiled and said:

“I’m Daria.”

He smiled back. And his smile was so warm and beautiful.

“Can I kiss you?”, Freddy whispered

“Yes please", I answered not letting him even finish the sentence. I wanted him to kiss me a way before that evening at Eddie’s.

Freddy gently placed his lips against mine. I felt euphoria waking up inside me. His kiss was sweet and intense at the same time. I ran my hands into his soft hair as he grabbed me tighter into his arms. I felt his tongue inside my mouth and I let mine do the same. At that time all I wanted was to disappear together with Freddy.

“I guess we need to get back to others”, he whispered, holding me tightly in his arms.

“We should”, I replied, placing my hand on his right cheek.

Freddy smiled, and took my chin in his hand, slowly titling my face to look upwards at him. He placed his lips against mine once more and then he opened the kitchen door, holding my hand as we returned to the living room, where everyone was laughing and talking and the Depeche Mode's song played loudly from the record player:

I heard it from my friends  
About the things you said  
I heard it from my friends  
About the things you said

But they know me better than that  
They know me better than that

They know my weaknesses  
I never tried to hide them  
They know my weaknesses  
I never denied them


	6. Sister of Night

“Ah, so you’re a married man?”, I gazed at the metallic ring on Freddy’s finger as I saw it only the next day after the bonding at Eddie’s when we were sitting in the bar, holding hands.

This ring annoyed me and since I had a very bad temper – I thought that I would scream at Freddy if I figured out that he was cheating on his wife with me.

“Oh, this?”, he released my hand and touched his ring, twisting it slightly on his finger, “It’s from my grandpa, from England. It’s been with him through the Second World War.”

“Are you from England?”, I asked Freddy, holding his hand again, “But your accent is American”

“My grandparents moved to America after the war, to New York. My dad was born there. But when he turned 20 – he moved to L.A. where he met my mother.”, he smiled, looking at me, “So you’re from Russia, right? You don’t have any accent”

I smiled back sadly, recalling my childhood memories, when my family was together and everything was fine.

“My parents moved to New York when I wasn’t even born. So, they built a family here. I can say that I’m true New Yorker. But I moved to L.A. when I was sixteen. I just started making crimes at that time.”

“Why did you start it?”, Freddy asked me quietly, looking at me.

I lowered my eyes. I really wanted to tell him my story, but I was afraid that people might hear us, and the atmosphere was too pleasant and calm that I didn’t want to destroy it. We were at our first date for God’s sake.

“I wish I could tell you this, Freddy. But not in here.”, I looked at the man. He just nodded in agreement, holding two of my hands tight.

“Did you have a guy before?”, he asked, then he realized that maybe his question was too personal, “I’m sorry if it’s private. I’m too direct and sometimes I ask first and only then start to think of what did I ask”

I just chuckled. My life was built only around crimes, because I wanted to forget my family and what happened to it. I didn’t have time for boys. And I liked nobody. But only during date night with Freddy I realized that I probably was waiting for him all this time.

“Hell no. Well, of course I had some crushes when I was studying at school and I dated only one guy for a couple of weeks. Um, do you know “X Men”?”

Freddy smiled and then laughed.

“I love them. One of my favorite comics, actually. I’m a big comic fan, especially “Iron Man”, “X Men” and “Fantastic Four”. I’m guilty, I know.”, he laughed again, raising his hands above his head.

I laughed with him. I never met a guy who was so into comic books. And I loved reading them as well, because they helped me to distract my thoughts and to relax.

“This guy who I dated looked exactly like Banshee! But it wasn’t serious. I mean dating and all of this. There was nothing between us. And when I say “nothing” I seriously mean “nothing”. You get it?”, I looked at Freddy uncertainly. He sat, silently, his eyes ran over me. Then he moved closer to me and whispered:

“You mean, you never had sex?”

“Yes, Freddy. I’m a virgin… _touched for the very first time_ …”, I started singing Madonna’s “Like A Virgin”.

Freddy just looked at me with a little surprise in his eyes. But then he smiled and whispered again:

“You surprised me, Daria. You surprise me every minute.”

“And so do you, Freddy…what’s your surname?”

“Newandyke. I’m Freddy Newandyke”, he smiled, holding my hands.

“Daria Shapira wants to kiss Freddy Newandyke”, I whispered back, moving closer to him, kissing him softly on lips.

His lips were sweet, and they had the taste of apple cider which he was drinking during our date. He released my hands as he slightly placed one over my neck and on my left knee. I ran my right hand over his hair as my tongue was inside his mouth. His hand on my knee moved higher, slowly but passionately, as I felt an uprising euphoria. Kisses were more and more intense, as I felt his hand running over my leg and my hand that touched his hair moved slowly on his neck. I was trying to breathe calmly, but it felt like I was forgetting how to breathe.

The desire that came out of nowhere let us to stand up from our seat as we were heading to the bar’s toilet. I heard how my heart was beating fast in my chest, the pulse in my head was feeling like an explosion.

Freddy locked the door behind us, when I took off my leather coat, which I put near the sink. Then I leaned into him, wrapping my left hand around the back of his neck, and put my right hand under his shirt. He lifted me up and sat me on the sink, kissing me passionately. But then he stopped and looked at me, placing his left hand on my right cheek, right up on my scar.

“No. I don’t want this to happen here in the public toilet. We’re not rats.”, he was breathing fast.

I smirked a little, also trying to catch my breath:

“Well, sex in the toilet sounds like a curious experience”

“I said “no”. I want your first time to be good. And I don’t want you to regret it. If you want to make it at all. If you don’t want to, if I’m too harsh and impatient…”, Freddy timidly looked at me.

I just looked into his eyes, his beautiful green eyes and kissed him softly as he slipped his tongue into my mouth.

“I want you, Freddy Newandyke. I wanted you since the first day. And I want to be with you no matter what’s gonna happen. So, this is me, who’s too forward.”

“You have no idea how much I think about you, Daria Shapira,”, Freddy kissed me again, touching my hair, “Let’s get out of here”

He helped me to put my jacket on, opened the door of the toilet and we exited the bar’s toilet.

“Can I take you to my place then?”, he asked me, when we walked over the parking lot near the bar to my Cadillac.

“Don’t ask silly questions.”, I opened the door, “I’m curious to see where does a big comics fan live.”

“Wait until you see my posters’ collection”, he laughed as he sat on the passenger’s seat.

I started the engine, and we disappeared in the night of Los Angeles with a song of Depeche Mode playing on the radio:

Sister of night  
When the hunger descends  
And your body's a fire  
An inferno that never ends  
An eternal flame  
That burns in desire's name  
  
Sister of night  
When the longing returns  
Giving voice to the flame  
Calling you through flesh that burns  
Breaking down your will  
To move in for the kill


	7. Free Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: a small description of a sex scene!

We reached the destination quite fast, in fifteen minutes we were near Freddy’s apartment. I parked my car near the door and we rushed on the second floor, holding our hands tight.

Freddy turned the keys in the keyhole and opened the door:

“Welcome to my place”, he said, turning on the lights.

I looked around: blue walls were decorated with posters of Silver Surfer and The Kamikaze Cowboy; in the middle of the room there was a small table, covered in newspapers, magazines and small figures of The Thing and Iron Man. A tv was standing near the big window. I smiled: I never thought that Freddy would turn out to be a big Marvel geek, and I really loved it in him, because I liked to read comic books about superheroes, as I imagined myself as a very cool and powerful superhero.

“I never thought that you’re a real Marvel fan”, I smiled, turning to Freddy, as he placed his keys and grandfather’s ring inside the small bowl full of coins.

“I told you that you should look at it”, he laughed, holding my hand, “And here’s my collection of music albums”, we came closer to a shelf, where a small music player was standing, a large stack of vinyl records was standing nearby.

My eyes ran quickly through that huge stack when my gaze fell on several music albums of my favorite group: Depeche Mode. I pulled out one of them and looked surprisingly at Freddy, showing him the vinyl:

“Are you kidding me? Do you love Depeche Mode?”

He just laughed and took the vinyl from my hand:

“I actually am a huge fan of their music, and “Music for the Masses” is one of my favorite albums of theirs. Mr White wanted to give me their latest one “Violator” and I hope that he didn’t forget about this offer”

“I can give it to you. I have it in my apartment”, I smiled, “You must hear “Personal Jesus” and “Policy of Truth”

Suddenly, Freddy’s smile disappeared. He looked at me uncertainly.

I was confused. I was afraid that I said something bad or that he was going to say that he didn’t want to be with me. Just stay friends.

“What’s the matter?”

He didn’t reply. He silently moved closer to me, and put his hands on my cheeks.

“There are a couple of things that I want to tell you, Daria”, he whispered, “But I’m afraid to tell you them now. But you will know. I will tell you them. Not just now. Now I want to be with you…actually, I want to be with you no matter what.”

I just touched his face. I couldn’t pronounce a word even though I was thinking about the words that he said to me. I was overwhelmed by them and by the intimacy that we had. I never experienced something like this before and I just felt that this man was meant to be with me.

“Everyone has their secrets, their past…when you’ll be ready to tell me yours – I think that I’ll be ready to accept them”, I whispered back, getting closer to him.

Freddy looked at me, straight into my eyes and I started to lose control over the space. He got closer to me and slowly kissed my lips, when I leaned to him, running my hands along his soft hair as our kisses became more passionate.

I couldn’t stand it no more. I didn’t care if Joe would find out that me and Freddy were having sex, that we were dating, that we, probably, loved each other, I just didn’t care. All I care about was Freddy.

Our kisses were getting deeper, as both of us were anticipating. Freddy took off his shirt and I finally took off my leather jacket and a T-shirt underneath it. Freddy stepped back and turned off the lights. We were in the dark now. Then he came closer, looking admiringly at me, and I just leaned to him, touching accurately his chest, as I was afraid to touch it, because I had no experience of such intimacy with someone before. I felt an anxiety, but this time it was pleasant one.

Freddy accurately took off my bra, when I took off his jeans. I lay down on his bed and he crawled on top of me, when I kissed him, this time more desperate and harder. He looked at me, touching my hair and face, as I looked at him with admiration, because I couldn’t help but falling in love with him.

“Are you sure you want it?”, he asked me unsurely.

“Stop asking silly questions”, I smiled back, “I want you and only you, Freddy Newandyke.”

He smiled back softly and kissed me as hard and desperate as never before.

I felt all of the feelings at the same time, things that I never felt before. It was euphoria, a mystery which I was solving with the man that I love and with whom I wanted to be and with whom I wanted to hook up.

And we disappeared into our very first night together.


	8. Little 15

We were laying on the bed in silence, our eyes were closed, but we weren’t asleep. Freddy was slightly stroking my hair, as I was softly touching his hand.

“Can you tell me about your childhood?”, suddenly Freddy spoke up.

I opened my eyes to caught his sight. I was afraid to tell anybody about my past, my childhood, because memories were still strong and wounds in my heart would never heal. But in Freddy’s arms I felt myself safe and I finally wanted to tell him my truth.

“It’s hard to tell. At first, it was all good, I had a very great childhood. I had parents and younger brother Michael. Misha. We lived in Brooklyn, in Brighton Beach, actually. My father had a small magazine shop, and my mother was a teacher. Telling the truth, my father was a strict man, an abusive man, but he cared a lot about my mom and Misha.”

I looked at Freddy. He was listening carefully, looking at me. I continued:

“When I turned fifteen, my mother got sick. And it was a terminal illness. We needed more money to help her just to feel better, we knew that we couldn’t cure her. But we could delay the dire consequences. Misha helped our father in shop, even though he was only eleven at that time.”

“That’s when you started to do crimes?”, Freddy asked me, holding me closer to him, as I shuddered from the surging memories.

“Yes. At that time Russian mafia began to appear in Brighton Beach. It was the only way to have a lot of money. Some of my classmates knew one man from mafia, who was looking for people who’d make crimes for him, like stealing things or make contract killings. He paid a lot. I told this man about my mother. He agreed to take me. My father had no idea about it. He cared about mom and Misha. I just said that I found a job at the bar in Manhattan.”

I fell silent for a couple of moments, as if I was transported to that time, in 1983, when my whole life turned upside down. Rare cars drove along the night street while Freddy and I were laying in silence.

“At first, I learned how to steal things, then how to gamble. I gave all my money to my family, but of course I saved some amount of it for me, because I knew that I’d be gone sooner or later. When I turned sixteen, I’ve already learned how to shoot. And that’s how I got my first contract killing. I was scared as fuck, I knew that I risked my own life, but for my family, for my mom, I’d do anything. It was a successful killing and I received a lot of money. Somehow, my father found out that I was lying and I committed my first murder. And I was banned from returning home. When I was just sixteen.”

I tried to caught my breath. Freddy accurately moved my hair from my face and kissed my closed eyes, not saying a thing. He was scared to break the silence.

“I left home. At first, I moved to my classmate, who was also in our gang. He helped me to get my own small apartment, where I spent the next year of my life. I was sending Misha money that I got from crimes, but father refused to have them. Then I settled down in L.A. and lost contacts with my family”.

“And that’s how you met Joe?”, Freddy asked.

“Yes. He gave me jobs, helped me to organize my place. That’s how I get to know Mr Blonde as we made some crimes together. When I turned twenty one, I received an offer: to rob a bank in Saint Petersburg, in Russia. It was my biggest failure, and I was transferred to prison in Moscow for three years, with the help of Russian feds who were searching for me since I was sixteen. When I was released, I came back to Brighton Beach… I wanted to see my family, my mother, my brother…”, some tears came from my eyes as I recalled these days.

Freddy just pulled me to him, stroking my hair. I felt anxiety, I promised myself not to recall these days in my head but I broke it:

“I met my classmate, with whom we were making crimes since we were fifteen. And he told me that my mother passed away when I was in jail. And Misha was looking for me for all these years, and he was killed by other members of Russian mafia, my father gave me up to another criminal authority, who was the enemy of my boss in Brooklyn. He was only eighteen years old at that time. I never knew what happened to my father, no matter where I searched for him. My family was destroyed. I have no one.”

“Come here”, Freddy whispered, kissing my closed eyes, “You’re with me now. I care about you. And no matter what happened to you, what will happen to us, after the heist. You have me.”

I looked at him, and smiled slightly, calming down. He smiled back, stroking my hair. I closed my eyes as Freddy kissed me softly on my lips. We didn’t need words. All was said. Hearing his calm breath, I fell asleep in the arms of a man whom I was insanely afraid to lose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The background story of Daria was inspired by the plot of the film "Little Odessa" (1994)


	9. Behind the Wheel

“So, this happened?”, Vic asked me

“Happened what?”, I answered his question with my own one, aiming at the center of the target. Bam! I got into the circle.

We were at the shooting center, doing some trainings for the jewellery store heist, just in case if something would go wrong.

“You know what I’m talking about, Little One”, my friend looked at me, placing his gun on the shelf.

I took off my safety eyeglasses and look at Vic.

“Yes. Me and Mr Orange had sex. Are you happy now?”

He smiled and laughed.

“I’m happy when you’re happy, Daria”, Vic took off his eyeglasses as well, looking at me, “I’m just a little concerned about him. He just seems a little strange. He doesn’t really talk much.”

“It’s just because he barely knows y’all”, we exited the building, putting on our sunglasses. It was a pleasant warm afternoon.

“No, it’s not about it. It’s just…he seems pretty weird. Like, he’s not among of us”, Vic leaned on his car as I was waiting for Freddy and Mr White to pick me up.

“Well, we are all weird guys in here”, I checked my green Hawaiian shirt that I took from Freddy, “Do you think that he’s not the thief?”, I asked suspiciously.

“I didn’t say that. I just want you to be careful with him. He seems to be a good guy for you, Little One, but I just want you to be safe. You know that, right?”, my friend asked me, slightly lowering his sunglasses, looking straight into my eyes.

I just grinned. I really appreciated that Vic cared about me. Sometimes I thought that he was my older brother which I never had and I was very thankful to him for being with me and caring about me.

“Of course I know it, Vic. I’m gonna be fine”, I smiled, and then I heard the car signal: Mr White arrived to pick me up together with Freddy as we wanted to look at the jewelry shop which we needed to heist, “I see you later”, I smiled at my friend and then walked to the car, taking the back seat.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“Let’s go over it. Where are you?”  
  


Me, Freddy and Mr White were sitting in the car across the street from the diamond store.

“I stand outside and guard the door. I don’t let anybody go in or go out”, Freddy replied, smoking a cigarette.

“Mr Blonde, Ms Silver and Mr Blue?”, Mr White asked

“Guard control, we handle the employees”, I answered, exhaling the smoke of my cigarette. I was sitting right behind Freddy, accurately touching his hair. I knew that Mr White didn’t bother about it.

“That girl’s ass?”, suddenly Mr White asked Freddy, pointing at the girl, walking by the street.

“Sitting right here on your dick”, Freddy replied, looking at Mr White. When the man laughed, Freddy looked at me, and kissed me softly.

As the conversation continued, I started to think about the words which Vic told me before. About Freddy. I really loved that Vic really cared about me and I believed Freddy about the things he said to me. These were the two guys in my life about whom I cared a lot.

“I’m hungry, let’s go get a taco”, suddenly Mr White interrupted my thoughts.

We drove to the nearest restaurant. I volunteered to took the order.

“Anything extra?”, I asked guys, leaning against the open window of the front seat, where Freddy was sitting.

“Nope. We’re just fine”, Mr White winked at me.

“Alright, then I’ll be back in a few minutes”, I smiled, leaving guys to the restaurant.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

**POV. Freddy Newandyke**

“So, you got it?”, Mr White asked me, when Daria disappeared inside the restaurant

“Got what?”, I didn’t answer his question

“You know what, kid”, Larry looked at me, taking off his sunglasses.

I just signed. After all, it was Larry who initiated our relationship with Daria and I was infinitely happy about that.

“Okay, yes, we had sex. This is what you wanted to hear?”, I looked at Mr White reproachfully, as he just laughed:

“Of course, kid! And I want nothing, but happiness for you two”, he looked at the restaurant door, then straight at me, “I believe that she’s been through a lot of things. I don’t think that she can trust to anybody. Maybe except for Mr Blonde and you. Especially you. She likes you. A lot. And she’s just a little girl with strong nerves and character. If you like her, or love her – you need to take care of her. No matter what”, Larry smiled sadly.

“I know this, man. I think I got it”, I replied and then turned my head to the restaurant, where I saw Daria, exiting the door. She looked so beautiful in the Hawaiian shirt which I gave to her, black converses, with her hair down, no make-up. I loved her this way. Small, accurate, broken but strong at the same time. I truly loved her. No matter if she was a criminal, how many people she killed. I loved her the way she was.

“Here’re tacos”, she smiled, giving us our meal.

Daria sat back, right after me. I turned my head to her and smiled softly. She looked at me admiringly as I knew that I wanted to be with her no matter what would happen. I wanted her to be out of the set up. I wanted her to be safe.

“Alright, how about visiting my place. I can finally give you the latest Depeche Mode’s album”, Larry looked at me and winked

“That would be cool, in case, Ms Silver doesn’t mind”, I looked back at Daria

“Of course not, you know how I loved Depeche Mode and their latest album”, she smiled back, kissing me softly.

“And what do you like more: “Personal Jesus” or “Enjoy the Silence”?”, Larry asked her, starting the engine of his car.

“I think both! But “Personal Jesus” just hits different”, Daria laughed. I loved her laugh.

“I’ll debate on that”, Mr White laughed back as we left the parking lot.


	10. Reach Out and Touch Faith

**POV. Daria Shapira (ms Silver)**

We spent the last night before the heist together, at Freddy’s apartment: it was the middle of the night but we didn’t sleep. Thousands of thoughts were running fast in my head, and as well as this I had a feeling that something was wrong. Usually, I was very calm before criminal deals that I’ve done before because I got use to it. But at that night I felt myself very strange and unsure.

In the silence of the night, only Freddy’s calm breathing was heard, as he was sleeping, hugging me with his right hand. I slightly stroked his hand, looking up at the ceiling.

“I love you, Freddy”, I whispered, never expecting to receive an answer from the man, who was sleeping next to me.

“I love you too, Daria”, suddenly I heard Freddy’s sleepy voice, as he turned to me, stroking my hair and kissing my forehead.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“Let me tell you what “Like A Virgin’s” about. It’s all about a girl who digs a guy with a big dick. The whole song is a metaphor for big dicks”, said Mr Brown, making a sip of coffee from his cup.

All of us: Joe, Nice Guy Eddie, Mr Brown, Mr Blue, Mr Pink, Mr White, Freddy, Vic and I, sat around the big table in a diner, having breakfast. We, except for Joe and Nice Guy, we wearing black suits and white shirts with black ties. I sat near Freddy, who was holding my hand under the table, to make it unnoticeable to the rest of our gang.

“It’s not about a nice girl who meets a sensitive boy. Now granted that’s what “True Blue” is about, no argument about that.”, Mr Brown, continued.

“Which one is “True Blue”?”, suddenly Freddy asked, looking at Mr Brown.

Me, Eddie and Mr Brown looked at him surprisingly.

“You don’t remember “True Blue”? That was a big ass hit for Madonna”, I replied, releasing Freddy’s hand to light my cigarette, he offered his lighter to me.

“Shit, I don’t even follow this Top In Pops shit, and I’ve at least heard of “True Blue”.”, Nice Guy agreed, pointing at Freddy.

“Look, guys, I didn’t say I ain’t heard of it. All I asked was how does it go? Excuse me for not being the world’s biggest Madonna fan”, he replied, gesturing his hand with a cigarette in it.

“Yes, we know you and Ms Silver love Depeche Mode. And so do I”, Mr White laughed, exhaling the smoke from his cigarette.

“…It hurts like the first time. The pain is reminding a fuck machine what is like to be a virgin. Hence, “Like a Virgin”.”, Mr Brown finished with a smug look on his face and a small wave of his hand.

I asked for another cup of coffee, when the dialogue continued. Sleepless night had a small effect on me and I needed another cup to completely woke myself up. I looked at Freddy, taking another sip of my drink. He looked at me back, winking and holding my hand tightly under the table, and then it moved slightly on my knee.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“You ready?”, Freddy asked me when we were about to leave his place earlier that morning to drive to diner to meet Joe, Nice Guy Eddie, Vic and other members of our gang.

“Almost”, I replied, putting on my black jacket and checking a tie in the mirror.

Freddy checked his guns, I put mine in the holster. He opened the exit door, but then stopped me, slowly closed the door back, and looked at me, placing his hands on my shoulders.

“Listen to me, Daria. You’re not gonna get hurt. We’re not gonna get hurt. I’m with you now. And I will protect you no matter what.”

“I know, Freddy. And I’ll do the same for you. You’re mine now.”

He smiled at me and looked admiringly into my eyes, kissed me softly but passionately as I ran my hands along his soft hair. I loved Freddy’s smell and I loved everything in him.

We finally walked out the apartment door, holding our hands together.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“Alright, lady and gentlemen, let’s clear out”, Joe’s words woke me up from my memories.

All of us stood up and exited the diner, putting our sunglasses on. Finally, I felt myself calm and ready to make a good deal. My head was high, I looked at Vic, who walked next to me, lightning his cigarette. He smiled at me and patted me lightly on the shoulder.

Freddy walked on the other side, next to me. He looked at me in his sunglasses and put his arm around my shoulder, kissing me gently on the cheek. We no longer worried about what others would think, what Joe would think.

Everything has already been decided.


	11. Policy of Truth

Tires of my car braked loudly at the parking lot next to the fast-food restaurant, where I finally reached Vic’s car. I exited my car, slamming the door and rushed to Vic, who walked out of the restaurant, holding a soda cup in his hand.

“What the fuck was that, Vic? Who asked you to kill these people in the store?”, I tried not to shout, looking angrily at my friend.

“Ah, fuck them”, Vic replied, taking a sip of a soda, “They set off the alarm. They deserve what they got.”

“You almost killed me!”, I raised my voice

“I didn’t want to hurt you, Little One, I thought that it was someone from the store staff”

“Vic, I asked you before to hold your temper. You know I ain’t better than you in terms of dealing with people. But Joe said no civil victims!”, I tried to calm myself down, but my nerves were on the edge. I had no idea what happened to all other members of our gang. And I was worried about Freddy.

“I told them not to touch the fucking alarm and they did!”, Vic answered defensively, “If they hadn’t have done what I told them not to do, they’d still be alive!”

“You’re my fucking hero, Vic”, I sighed, adjusting my sunglasses and checking a gun in the holster, “Alright, let’s get back to the rendezvous. I talked to Eddie on the phone, he said he’ll meet us there.”

“Are you hungry? We can get you something”, Vic asked me, but I just shook my head.

“I don’t have an appetite. Besides, I got a surprise in my car’s trunk. A fucking cop! Maybe he’ll be helpful”, I smiled, when we were returning to our cars.

“You got a boy in blue? You’re a piece of work, Little One”, Vic laughed, slapping me on the shoulder.

“I know, Vic, I know”, I sat on my car’s seat and started the engines.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“Now, where were we?”, Vic turned to the cop, when Eddie, Mr Pink and Mr White left the warehouse to hide other cars from the parking lot.

I sat near Freddy, holding his hand and gently stroking his hair as my eyes stared at his blood-stained shirt. I was so scared that he’d die right in my arms, even though I understood that his wound was very bad and he lost a lot of blood. But I tried to believe that he’d be alright.

“I told you, I don't know anything about any fucking set up. I've only been on the force eight months, nobody tells me anything! I don’t know anything! You can torture me if you want…”, the cop sobbed.

“Torture you? That’s a good idea”, Vic replied.

“Blonde…”, I warned my friend, standing up and coming closer to him and the cop who was tied to a chair.

“Your boss even said there wasn’t a set up!”, the cop turned to me desperately.

But his words about “my boss thing” drove me crazy. Since I started making crimes, I promised myself that I won’t have a regular boss. I made contract killings for a lot of people, but I never had only one boss. No one could be my boss.

“My what?”, I asked harshly

“Your boss…”, the cop answered, weakly

“Excuse me, pal”, I said, walking over to him, “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t have a boss. Nobody tells me and Mr Blonde what or what not to do”, I pointed at Vic, who also looked at the cop, “You understand?”, I slapped him, “You understand, you son of a bitch?”

Then I turned to Vic:

“Go nuts. I’ll have a smoke in the bathroom”

“You’re not gonna watch?”, my friend asked me, taking off his black jacket.

“I need a fucking cigarette, man”, I answered, exited the room, trying to calm down.

I sat on the chair, lightning up a cigarette. I was thinking and building theories who could be a rat in the house. Definitely not Mr White nor Freddy. He was lying on the floor bleeding terribly. He couldn’t be working for the LAPD. No fucking way.

I heard screams from the room, where Vic was having his fun with the cop, but it didn’t bother me. I finished smoking, washed my face with a tap water and looked at myself in the mirror, running my hand over the scar on my cheek in my reflection in the mirror.

“Stop! Please, don’t do it!”, I heard sudden screams of the cop when something fell loudly on the floor.

I ran to the room where Vic was standing beside the cop with a lighter in his hand. Cop was covered in gasoline, and an empty canister was laying on the other side of the room.

“Vic, stop it! You’re gonna burn us alive!”, I screamed, completely forgetting about the promise of not saying our names to other people, as I was scared to death about Vic, Freddy and me, “Vic!”

Then I heard gunshots. I hid behind the wall, which divided the passage to the bathroom and the main room.

When the bullet row stopped, I began to listen to the voices, which were heard in the next room.

“Listen to me, Marvin Gnash, I’m a cop”, I heard Freddy’s weak voice.

I gasped. I couldn’t believe my ears.

“There’s officers positioned and waiting to move in a block away”, he said quietly.

“What the fuck are they waiting for?”, Marvin shouted, “That motherfucker cut off my ear! He slashed my face! I’m deformed!”

“Fuck you!”, I heard Freddy’s scream. I never heard him screaming like this before, “Fuck you! I’m fucking dying here, I’m fucking dying!”

That was it. That was my time to show up. I reloaded my gun and rushed into the room where Freddy was lying on the floor. He turned his head to me.

“You, motherfucker! You fucking bastard!”, I screamed, pointing my gun at him. I looked at Vic, who was lying dead on the floor. I just lost my friend. My only best friend that I had. I couldn’t believe that he was gone. I prepared myself for it before, when we were not making crimes together. But I never knew that it’d happen like that.

I looked back at Freddy, my eyes began to fill with tears. Damn, I promised myself not to cry because of betrayals. But Freddy was the closest person that I have. And he teared everything that united us.

“Go on then. Kill me”, he said to me, looking straight into my eyes, breathing hardly.

“Why did you do this to me?”

“Why are you not killing me?”, he didn’t reply to my question. I gave up:

“Cause I love you, dumb ass!”, I cried, lowering my gun.

I knelt down next to Freddy. I could no longer hide the pain inside me. The pain of losing my best friend Vic. And at the same time, I couldn’t let myself to lose the person that I loved, who was lying beside me in his own blood. I understood that perhaps he would die from his injury, but I tried to believe that he would be cured.

“I’m sorry, Daria…I’m so sorry”, Freddy looked at me, some tears slipped through his eyes.

“You fucking bastard”, I just whispered, looking back at him.

He slowly held my hand, his hand was all covered in blood, but I didn’t let go of his hand, but only held it tighter in mine.

So I sat next to him, gently running my thumb over his hand, trying to put my thoughts back together, realizing that my life would no longer be the same again.


	12. Precious

I had no idea for how long did we sit on the floor. Time literally stopped for me. The cop passed out in a chair, and Freddy was lying quietly next to me, shuddering a little from pain at times. I looked at him:

“Was it all a lie? These couple of days that we had?”, I was scared to hear the answer. I was scared that he lied to me about his feelings to me. And I was angry as fuck with myself that I let him close to me. No one ever was this close to me.

“No…no...”, he exhaled, looking straight into my eyes. I could see the truth in his eyes. As well as the admiration of me. He was scared to lose me, I knew it. And I was deadly scared to lose him.

“I want to protect you so that no one from the feds will follow you. I know for sure that this wound that I have doesn’t add truth to my words, but it is a fact”, Freddy took my hand tightly and pulled me close to him, quietly whining from his injury. He looked at me admiringly, when my eyes started to fill with tears, “I liked you from the day we met. And I realized that I wanted to protect you from this collapse. I love you, Daria Shapira.”

I looked at him with sadness and with admiration at the same time. I accurately touched his right cheek and then moved my hand to his soft hair. I looked straight into his grey-green beautiful eyes and I wanted to save his glance in my memory.

“I love you, Freddy Newandyke.”

And I kissed him softly on his lips. Freddy, pulled me closer to him, making our kiss deeper and more passionate, even thought it was hard for him, because the pain of wound didn’t fade away. I dreamed of dissolving with him from this world. I needed only Freddy. And no one else.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“What the fuck happened here?” Eddie asked, as he walked in with Mr White and Mr Pink.

Mr White walked over to Freddy: “Are you alright, kid?”, then he looked at me, “How long has he been awake?

  
  
“Just for a couple of minutes”, I lied

“What the fuck happened?”, he asked us.

“Blonde went crazy. He slashed the cop’s face, cut of his ear and was gonna burn him alive”, Freddy answered weekly

“Oh, this cop?” Eddie asked, and then shot the cop five times in the chest.

I stood up.

“You were saying he went crazy? Something like that? Worse or better?”, Eddie looked at Freddy.

“He was pulling a burn, man. He was gonna kill the cop, me and Ms Silver. And when you guys walked through the door, he was gonna blow you to hell and make off with the diamonds”

Eddie looked at me, slightly confused:

“Do you believe in this shit?”

“I was smoking in the bathroom, but I ran back here when I heard a sound of a canister falling on the floor. Mr Blonde was standing in front of the cop with a lighter in his hand. I asked him to stop, but he didn’t hear me. I don’t fucking know what intentions did he have, but he was dead sure about his actions”, I replied. I couldn’t believe that Vic could kill me. We were like brother and sister.

“And cop’s ear is hacked off”, Mr Pink walked over to the cop’s body.

“Let me just say this out loud, just to get it straight in my head”, Eddie looked back at Freddy, “According to you, Mr Blonde was gonna kill you and Ms Silver. Then when we came back, kill us, grab the diamonds, and scram? I’m correct about that, right? That’s your story?”

Freddy nodded.

“The man you killed was just released from prison. Just like Ms Silver”, Nice Guy Eddie pointed at me, “Both of them were making great deals together for my dad. But Mr Blonde got caught at a company warehouse full of hot items. He could’ve walked away. All he had to do was say my dad’s name. But instead he shut his mouth and did his time. He did four years for us. So, Mr Orange, you’re telling me this very good friend of mine and Ms Silver, who did four years for my father, who in four years never made a deal, no matter what they dangled in front of him, you’re telling me that now, that now this man is free, and we’re making good on our commitment to him, he’s just gonna decide, right out of the fucking blue, to rip us off?!” Eddie shouted.

I couldn’t move, I was staying in silence and so did Mr White and Mr Pink.

“Mr Orange, why don’t you tell me what really happened?”, Eddie continued.

“What for? It’ll just be more bullshit”, I heard a voice.

We turned out heads and saw Joe standing in the warehouse doorway. He walked into the room, pointing at Freddy:

“This man set us up”, then Cabot looked at me, “Yes, Ms Silver, your lover’s working with the LAPD.”

I tried to pretend that I heard it only now:

  
  
“Joe, I don’t have the slightest fucking idea what you’re talking about.”

“That’s okay, Ms Silver, I do”, answered Joe.

“Joe, I don’t know what you think you know, but you’re wrong”, Mr White stepped closer to Joe when I came closer to Freddy.

“Like hell I am”, argued Joe, looking at Mr White.

“Joe, trust me on this, you’ve made a mistake. He’s a good kid. I understand you’re hot, you’re super-fucking pissed. We’re all real emotional. But you’re barking up the wrong tree. I know this man, and he wouldn’t do that. And he cares about Ms Silver”, Mr White pointed at me.

I stood completely silent, but getting closer and closer to Freddy, who looked straight at me.

“You don’t know jack shit. I do. This rotten bastard tipped off the cops and got Mr Brown and Mr Blue killed”, Cabot stated.

“Mr Blue is dead?”, asked Mr Pink surprisingly.

“Dead as Dillinger”

“How do you know all this?”, I asked. I swear I heard how fast my heart was beating.

“He was the only one I wasn’t a hundred percent sure. I should have my fucking head examined for going forward when I wasn’t hundred percent”

“That’s your proof?”, screamed Mr White

“You don’t need proof when you got instinct”, Joe shouted back, “I ignored it before, but not no more”, Cabot finished, pointing his gun at Freddy. On this right second, I stood in front of Freddy, covering him from the gun.

“Are you crazy?”, he sighed heavily, as if he was trying to gasp for air.

“Maybe”, I answered, “But not as crazy as you, my love”, I whispered, turning my head in his direction. There was fear in his eyes. The fear of losing me.

But that was it. We loved each other. From the moment when we saw each other at the first meeting, both of us knew it. Everything was said and done. We had to be together. Forever. Dead or alive.

"Daria, step aside", Cabot said, looking at me. But I stayed where I was.

"No, Joe. I'm sorry. But if you want to kill Mr Orange - you need to kill me first", my voice was sharp and confident.

"How touching", replied Joe, still pointing his gun at Freddy.

Mr White whipped his gun and pointed it at Cabot.

“Have you lost your fucking mind?”, Eddie asked him, pointing his gun at Mr White.

“Joe, you’re making a terrible mistake I can’t let you make”, Mr White looked at Joe, then for a second his eyes moved from Joe to me and then back at Cabot.

“C’mon, guys, nobody wants this. We’re supposed to be fucking professionals!”, Mr Pink shouted, stepping back, and then he asked me: “Can you tell them to stop?”

I just shrugged and replied:

“A bastard’s work is never done”

“Larry, look, it’s been quite a long time”, Eddie said, pointing his gun at Mr White, “You respect my dad and I respect you. But I will not hesitate to shoot you dead if you don’t stop pointing that gun at my dad.”

When the conversation was coming to an end, I turned my back once again to see Freddy’s face for, probably, the last time:

“I love you, Freddy Newandyke”, I whispered to him.

“I love you, Daria Shapira”, he answered, looking at me, his eyes were in tears as well as were mine.

“Larry, stop pointing that fucking gun at my dad!”, I heard Eddie’s scream.

Bang. Bang. Two bullets hit Freddy. Bang. Joe missed and shot me on the chest.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Everyone shot each other dead.

I couldn’t feel my legs, and my chest, but somehow, I managed to crawl to Freddy, who took my hand, breathing heavily. He placed his hand on my hair when I started to pass out. He looked into my eyes and winked a little.

Mr White lifted Freddy’s head, cradling it in his lap. Freddy pulled me closer to him. I didn’t hear a single sound, as if I was under water. I started to feel myself cold. I looked at Freddy, who was dying right next to me, but still holding my hand with his last strength. I looked at him for the last and longest time, trying to capture his face and beautiful eyes in my dying memory. Then I finally closed my eyes.

Bang. Bang. That awful sound.


End file.
